Cervelo TestTeam sign 34 year old publishing exec as domestique

Two years after getting back on a bike João Correia is about to live every cyclist's dream, the 34-year is leaving his desk job to ride as a domestique for the Cervelo TestTeam alongside such legends of the sport as Thor Hushovd and Carlos Sastre. João an associate publisher at the US magazine, Bicycling, now has his sights set on riding in the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France.

That fact alone makes for a remarkable story. But what is even more astounding is that João Correia, a Portuguese Junior National Champion in his youth, only returned to serious cycling two years ago after shedding 60lbs, getting on for a third of his body weight, which had ballooned to 205lbs due in part to the effect of expense account meals entertaining clients while working for Esquire magazine.

Correia’s family emigrated to Sleepy Hollow, New York, when he was aged 11, but the keen cyclist managed to combine high school in the US with road racing in France and The Netherlands, and even signed as a pro with a Portuguese team before deciding to focus on his studies at Fordham University at the age of 21.

Upon graduating, he remained in New York City to pursue a career in publishing, which is when his fitness levels started to go downhill, while his weight went the other way.

As he recounted to The New York Times, “my business was a relationship business, and you build a lot of relationships at the table.” Correia said that when entertaining clients, “I’d start out with a whole piece of mozzarella di bufala, get a full order spaghetti Bolognese, then maybe the rabbit, some wine, some grappa.”

Correia’s love of cycling was rekindled in 2004 when he took a job at Bicycling magazine, where chewing the fat – as it were – with clients was as likely to happen in the saddle as at the dinner table.

Out on weekend rides, he found himself struggling to keep up, and people who knew him from his racing days would say, ‘Little John, is that you?’ a reference to his nickname in his younger years.

“You’d be going up a hill and pretty soon you’re dropped, you’re gone, you’re not even in the group anymore, said Correia, adding, “stuff like that was super humbling. You go from going out there and killing everybody to saying: ‘Why are we going so fast? Can’t we just talk?’ ”

During 2006, while riding in Italy, a client commented on Correia’s technique, and on learning of his racing past, suggested he give it another go. That led to his flying out to Salt Lake City to hook up with cycling trainer Dr Massimo Testa, who initially expressed doubts about Correia’s plans to ride the Portuguese National Championships the following year, given that at the time he had around 23% body fat.

As Dr. Testa now says, “if you bring in a 185-pound guy who is 30 years old and says he wants to be a pro, I would say it’s basically impossible — it could be one case in a million. But he had been pro. If you’ve been that good, those genes are still there.”

On the doctor’s advice, Correia switched to a low-fat, high-protein diet, and also trained extensively in and around New York City, raising his fitness levels to the extent that he finished 12th in the Portuguese National Time Trial Championship in 2007.

The following year, he joined US outfit Bissell Pro Cycling, and his performance there led to an invitation from Cervélo co-owner Gérard Vroomen to join the Professional Continental team, which counts former Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre and Thor Hushovd, winner of the points competition at this year’s race, among its roster.

"I am excited and humbled to be riding with Cervélo TestTeam this season," said Correia in a press release from his new team. "This is exciting opportunity for me to do what I really want to do. Many people have dreams of this kind, but most don't get to live the dream, and I am.”

He continued: ‘It's been a tough road back to this level after leaving the sport in the mid 90s but I feel that the work I put in at Bissell in the last two years have given me a solid foundation to try and make the jump back into the upper echelons of the sport. With this team I have found people who share similar values to mine and who believe in me. They are very committed to making the world of cycling a better sport for athletes, sponsors and fans alike and I'd like to add my small part to help them do that."

Vroomen is similarly excited about Correia joining the team. "We've known João for some time, and we actually first discussed this idea a few years ago," he said. "Now the time is right to actually do it. No doubt it will be a difficult transition for him, but we're not in a rush. And of course, besides his cycling talent and drive he brings a unique perspective to the pursuit of our other team goals; product development, fan access and hospitality."